


An Unquenchable Flame

by CathyFowl



Series: Thedosian Works In Progress [13]
Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: Gen, Hope, Hopeful Ending, In Your Heart Shall Burn, Introspection, Mental Instability, Suicidal Thoughts
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-11
Updated: 2017-08-11
Packaged: 2018-12-14 01:35:15
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 423
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11772726
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CathyFowl/pseuds/CathyFowl
Summary: The hardest part isn't the fight. The hardest part is moving on.





	An Unquenchable Flame

An Unquenchable Flame

 

Surprisingly, (or maybe not-so-surprisingly,) facing Corypheus the first time wasn't the hardest part of the fall of Haven.

Fighting a hoard of Red Templars? Average Tuesday.

Facing off an ancient darkspawn? Slightly more disgusting than she anticipated, but very much doable. He was a hideous monster, yes, no humanity remained in that red lyrium riddled shell he called a body, but not the hardest part, no.

Not even watching Cullen worry, Cassandra grit her teeth when the Herald bid them to run, or looking for that damn flair, the sign that the people got away safely, was the hardest.

No.

The hardest part was getting up, when she was lying on her back, buried under tons of snow and rock, her whole body on fire, her left hand a living wound as the Mark pulsed in sync with her heartbeat.

The hardest part was, after defeating those couple of demons with the newer, inexplicably more painful skill, to walk out into the storm. To face the cold, the snow, the dark, the loneliness.

To keep moving, even when she couldn't feel her legs anymore. Even when she lost sight of vaguely flickering campfires. Even when she could no longer hear the wolves calling through the endless howling of the winds.

To not pause, just to catch her breath, just to ease the ache in her lungs. To not lay down, and close her eyes, just for a second, just and endless second...

Why was she even doing this? She wasn't meant to be here, she wasn't meant to lead. She was boring, average, a Jack-of-all-Trades but King of None. She was mediocre. They would be fine without her. They had all they needed.

Solas would lead them to Skyhold.

Cassandra would rally them.

Cullen would lead their army.

Josephine would gather allies and Lelianna would blackmail or assasinate the rest into submission.

They didn't need _her_.

And the snow looked so soft. Like her favourite pillow, back at home.

Maybe just a moment's rest.

Just enjoy a bit of solitude.

The quiet of the moonless night.

Just a moment's.... rest.... just.... in the silence.... blessed silence....

Oh, the winds stopped howling.

She looked around herself, dazed, swaying on her feet.

Silent winter night surrounded her.

And, at her feet, a campfire's still glowing embers.

Oh.

She made it.

Was it worth it?

 

She stumbled forward a few more steps, until she heard Cullen's voice, closely followed by Cassandra's relieved thanks to the Maker.

 

Yes.

Maybe.

Just maybe... It's worth it.


End file.
